Clayton Kershaw Pulled After One Inning

Dodgers fans following phenom southpaw Clayton Kershaw’s start tonight may have been disappointed.  The 19 year-old was pulled after just one inning.  Conspiracy theorists have already established that Kershaw must be involved in a trade.

Usually I’m quick to contribute to any conspiracy, but I decided to take a few minutes to listen to the Great Lakes Loons broadcast instead.  Turns out that the plan all along was to have Kershaw pitch just one inning – this plan was outlined before the game started.  Apparently the Dodgers sent down this directive to keep Kershaw’s innings count down this year.  After all, this is Kershaw’s first full pro season.

You could call BS on the Dodgers and insist Kershaw is headed to Oakland in a Joe Blanton deal.  After all, there had to be some kind of party line for the announcer to use to explain the one-inning stint.  But if he really had been traded, why let him pitch at all?  Why not just scratch him and say he has the flu?

Kershaw might be the best pitching prospect in all of baseball right now.  He’s definitely the top lefthander.  Most likely, the Dodgers are just being careful with him.

Additionally, I’m still trying to track down why Mets prospect Fernando Martinez was pulled from tonight’s game after one at-bat.  But I do know he recently came off the DL for a right hand contusion, so taking it easy with him is entirely reasonable.

One more for you: apparently Philip Humber was supposed to start tonight for the Zephyrs after being scratched Friday for food poisoning.  Adam Bostick started instead, but I’m not sure why.